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11 April 2017 08:59
Long delays are expected over the Easter weekend
Drivers heading to airports and ferry ports this bank holiday weekend have been told to expect heavy traffic.
With millions of cars taking to the country's roads between Maundy Thursday and Easter Monday, those packing their bags and booking their travel insurance will also need to think about potential traffic jams.
Research from transport information supplier Inrix warns that more than 20 million cars are likely to hit the roads over the Easter weekend. Traffic could peak at 28% above normal levels during rush hour on Thursday, the group said.
Long delays forecast
Some journeys, particularly those involving motorways, might end up taking three times longer than they usually do.
Delays of up to 90 minutes could face those driving between Junctions 9 and 21 of the M25.
Hold-ups of almost an hour might also face those using the M6 and the southbound M5 towards the West Country.
But there's some positive news for drivers heading on overseas and domestic holidays, since Easter Sunday is predicted to see 25% fewer vehicles on the roads, when compared with an average Sunday.
'Consider alternative routes'
Inrix head of research Graham Cookson said: "With UK drivers spending an average of 30 hours in congestion last year, motorists are no stranger to sitting in traffic.
"We expect significant delays over the Easter period due to a combination of factors, including the regular post-work peak, the start of the school break, people travelling on holiday, railway engineering works and Tube closures.
"Our advice to drivers is to consider alternative routes or avoid peak times altogether."
Airports are likely to have a busy time of it over the coming week or so.
Roughly 868,000 people are expected to travel through Heathrow Airport between Good Friday and Easter Monday alone, including an extra 200,000 families compared to a normal Friday to Monday period.
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